Catholics Are The Same As Christians aren’t they?

September 26, 2012August 13, 2017

FALSE STATEMENT

Catholics and Christians are the same and share the same beliefs.

OUR DEFENSE

Christians do not share the same beliefs as Catholics. Consequently, Catholicism and Christianity are not the same thing. In fact, they are not even remotely close. By taking a closer look at the foundation of Catholicism it becomes apparent just how far off it is from Christianity. As with every religion, the best way to uncover what it teaches despite what its followers may mislead one to believe, is simply to look at the religion’s doctrine. The doctrine of Catholicism is called the Roman Catholic Catechism (1994). So let’s compare the Roman Catholic Catechism with what Christianity (the Bible), commonly referred to as Protestantism teaches.

[Catholicism]
Truth is based on: Scripture, Tradition and the Pope.

[Protestantism]
Truth is based on: Scripture alone. Also referred to as the term, Sola Scriptura. The bible itself does not take this position but rather we as believers do because it is the only logical position to take. If we do not take this position we fall victim to following the authority of man who is fallible. As Christians, we believe the bible is inerrant, infallible and the only authority concerning who God is and what He demands of His people.

[Catholicism]
Salvation: Grace becomes a help and is given through the sacraments of the Church.
Grace is the help God gives to respond to our vocation of becoming his adopted sons. It introduces us into the intimacy of the trinitarian life. But then you have to do things to become perfected. Sacraments, no sins. Sacraments are necessary for salvation.

[Protestantism]
We don’t do anything. It would take away from the work of Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

[Catholicism]
One who desires to obtain reconciliation with God and the Church must confess to a priest all the unconfessed grave sins he remembers after carefully examining his conscious.

[Protestantism]
We go straight to God the Father through Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

[Catholicism]
Faith comes through the Mother Church.

“It is the church that believes first and so bears, nourishes and sustains my faith. Salvation comes from God alone but because we receive the life of faith through the church she is our Mother. The church is the mother of all believers. No-one can have God as Father if they do not have church as Mother.

(This essentially says one can not be saved unless they are apart of the Mother church.)

[Protestantism]

So then Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

So Faith in Christ Jesus, the Son of God, as our redeemer from sin can only come by hearing the Word of God. (Romans 10:17, John 20:31)

[Catholicism]
Mary is the all Holy one and source of holiness. The mother of mercy, the ALL Holy One.

[Protestantism]
Mary was a sinner who needed saving. She proclaimed she needed a savior. (Luke 1:46-7)
No where in Scripture is Mary called the ALL Holy One. This is blasphemy.
God made it clear ALL of mankind needed saving and that no-one is holy. All of mankind is separated from Him. (Romans 3:9-10)

[Catholicism]
Mary mediates.

“Taken up to Heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation. Therefore the blessed Virgin is invoked in the Roman Catholic Church under the titles as advocate, helper, benefactress and mediatrix.”

Practice recommended by Rome: Communion of Saints which is actually Communion with the dead.

[Protestantism]
Jesus Christ, the Son of God is our only mediator. We go directly to God on our own based on what Christ did for us.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (1 Timothy 2:5, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:24)

By taking a closer look at what Catholicism teaches rather than what people say or how they may practice Catholicism we can clearly see that it differs greatly from Christianity (Protestantism).